I've been solo sailing a Hobie 16 for 12 years and I love it but one thing has always annoyed me and that's the design of the Hobie stepping link. Does anyone out there know of a design that does not "toggle" when you raise it? The mast base always tries to step up onto the anti-rotation portion of the base casting requiring a rearward force to be applied to the base of the mast to toggle the link back so the base of the mast will align with the socket of the base casting. I can machine the part myself but need a design which works. It would be OK if it had to be removed completely to sail.
Thanks,
Ken

Is your boat a newer boat? I solo my 16 often, and have experienced a similar problem since adding a newer step link. The older ones were different, albeit more flimsy, but they seemed to work better- I had to make the new one removable on my 14 to allow mast tang clearance

You still remove the pin which goes thru the mast base. The newer links which I've gotten have a 1/4'' diameter pin, where the earlier ones had 3/16. The earlier links also had a spring which pushed the link aft and down.
Dave

I have been looking at the action of the 2 castings as they rotate around the pin. I'm convinced the link can be replaced by a solid piece which will pin rigidly into the slot of the base casting and provide a clevis type end with a hole for locating the mast casting and allowing it to align properly as it raises till it's in place. It will have to be removed completely while sailing but this is no problem. Stopping the winching half way up to push the mast back and pop it into alignment is unnerving. The winch and the trap wires attached to the front castings works great if you first prop up the mast with a 2x4 to get it in a partially raised position. If anyone knows of a reason why the proposed link substitute won't work, I'd love to hear your comments.